Night of Swimming
by Not-Terrestrial
Summary: Based on the prompt that is going around on the Lizzington Shippers FB page : Elizabeth sees Raymond's Scars. Don't forget to tell me what yall think, and constructive criticism is always welcome.


Prompt: Elizabeth catches a glimpse of Raymond's scars.

Hope you guys like it, since it was written while I was sneezing all day and fighting off allergies.

Disclaimer: I don't own The Blacklist or any of its characters.

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He stood by the balcony of his room, silent with a far away look to his eyes. The waves crashing against the boardwalk, loud yet soothing, were not too far from where he stood. It was a bittersweet feeling because he couldn't sleep being perturbed by his own demons, and yet everything around him screamed the opposite. He briefly wondered if Lizzie was sleeping peacefully in the adjoining room. He spared half a thought about going in there and checking on her, but that would be crossing a line he didn't think she was ready for. Or him for that matter.

She stopped pressing him about Sam, about her real father, about how he knew so much, and instead learned to trust him again. It was a real slow progression, but once they conceded that one needed the other and vice versa things became less complicated. He should thank Berlin for one thing then, allowing them to lean on eachother the way they did during those 'dark months'. The way things things ended those days surprised him too.

The night Berlin recieved a shot through his eyes, she stayed. She barked orders at his men when he couldn't. She helped Dembe stand and walk when he was being dragged out barely awake. She never left his side when he was recovering, unless he had to change or bathe. He survived this war for his life, just barely, but with her by his side. Returning back to work together, back to a well recovered Cooper and a less boy-scout Ressler, couldn't have been any better. They still sought answers and they still brought down blacklister after blacklister, but they did it together, no longer forced but willingly.

Red leaned on the railing, sighing and contemplated how to aproach tonight's demons. The fresh warm air from the sea blew around him, shuffling his white t-shirt a bit. The breeze crawled up his sleeves and to his neck, making him involuntarily shiver. Ironic really considering how hot tonight's weather was. He looked down from the balcony, and noticed someone decided to take a night swim in the pool below. When this certain someone took off her robe, he instantly recogninzed the red bikini on her frame. He recongized it because she bought it earlier that day. He recognized her because she was beautiful and there was no way he could miss her, even if he was 7 stories up higher than her.

**********SUMMERHIATUS**********

Elizabeth Keen could not sleep. She could not remember getting a good nights sleep in a while now. Tonight was no different from others, but instead of sulking on the queen bed upstairs she decided it was a good opportunity to take a night swim. The sign beside the door to the pool outside said it was open 24 hours but there was no lifeguard on duty, That was fine with her, she didn't need one. Besides, she was expected back at the post office in two days. Things were supposed to culminate then, but with Red by her side everything went by way better and faster. He didn't mind staying for another two days, he even graced her with a warm knowing smile when she mentioned it.

She stepped outside and took her robe off. The close but distant sound of the waves soothed her nerves and she didn't feel so bad for being out here on her own. It was a serene feeling, and she relished it. When she dipped her toes in the pool, she smiled because the water was perfect. Instead of getting in slowly with grace like a proper woman, she walked to the deeper section and jumped in.

The familiar feeling of weightlessness was intoxicating, and she let herself sink to the bottom. The lights that bordered the edges of the pool provided her with enough illumination to make out the entire vicinity of it. She sat there for a few seconds and let herself think this was a dream, because the only sounds she could hear was the water moving around her. Swimming at night truly was an enlightening experience. She wondered how Red would respond to something like this. Would he aprove or just shake his head at her silly childlike antics?

When Liz couldn't hold her breath any longer she swam up and floated for a few seconds. Then she went back under and swam from one end of the pool to the other. Maybe if she got tired enough she could sleep after this. Maybe she could float all night and go back upstairs at dawn. There really was no one here watching her anyways.

After about 5 more laps she took another deep dive, and on her way back up she noticed a tall blur on the edge of the pool. She swam closer and lifted her head from the water. She smiled when she saw Red, clad in a white t-shirt and blue trunks, standing with a robe and towel in hand. He smiled back at her warmly and she didn't miss the way his eyes roamed down her body, even if most of it was blurred. She chose right when bought this bikini.

"Are you going to take a dive too?" His eyebrows shot up at her question.

"Oh no, not me. I might just dip my feet in, but i don't do well in pools. Although you seem to be enjoying quite well in there." How odd. She always pictured him as a swimmer, him with his broad shoulders and all, not that she paid attention to his frame.

"I thought you were in the Navy, didn't you have to swim alot?" She floated closer to the edge as he stepped out of his flip-flops and sat down, his legs distorted once in the water. He tossed the robe and towel not to far from where they were, not caring about them that much,

"Yeah well that was over 20 years ago, people change... that and I had a terrible incident during my stay at Acapulco." Her eyebrows rose in question. "You wouldn't be in there too if you happened to wake up on a floating mattress with nothing on but a speedo and goggles. The pool polluted tequila, color dye, and pineapples. It took me a whole hour to wait until i floated safely to the edge."

"How you ever wind up in those situations is beyond me." She chuckled trying to imagine Red floating amist all that. She grew quiet as she noticed the bags under his eyes. "You couldn't sleep either?"

His answering nod was loud enough to hear, and she remained silent for a few more seconds. There were so many things to say yet it was consoling being silent in his presence. She imagined it was the same for him. Then a mischevious little thought struck her.

With out warning she grabbed his arm closest to her and pulled with all her might. HIs loud gasp was all she could hear before she starting giggling like crazy. He sunk down, but quickly came back up and wrapped his arms around her. She pretended to get scared and tried to wriggle away.

"Oh no you don't," he pulled her down with him and they both went under. It was beautiful, he was beautiful in the water. The lighting made them both remain under a bluish tone, making the whole moment even more special and surreal. His clothes hovered on him and she marveled at the sight of him. She wished she could bottle up the moment and keep it came back up and gasped for air, testament to how long they had remained under water. "We should get back up stairs."

She nodded but let him go first. She wanted a few more seconds more in the water. Just as he was climbing out something caught her eyes. His shirt became transparent due to the water. It was entirely see through and it let her admire his back. Until she noticed the raised flesh on his upper back. It ran intricately from his mid back up to just below his left shoulder. Those weren't muscles, they were scars. They were scars just like hers, the likeliness was unmistakeable. She choked out a half gasp half sob at the realization.

Red stopped as soon as he stood fully upright and slowly turned around. When he saw her shocked face he closed his eyes and bent his head down.

"I didn't want you to find out this way." He sounded defeated, realizing the wonderful moment they had just shared was broken. She climbed out slowly, never taking her eyes from him. She allowed him to continue speaking. "There were many times when I wanted to tell you... to tell you how i came to know of you, how you met Sam, and even how your scar was obtained. I could have told you long ago, but then we grew close, and i feared... i feared losing you... again." She now stood in front of him, and he was looking at her now. Watching for any signs of rejection, anger, maybe both.

Instead he saw her eyes had teared up, and not due to the pool water. She lifted her hands to the hem of his shirt and pulled up. He allowed her to remove his shirt, as if he were a small child. Once off, she let the shirt fall to their side making a loud squishy splosh on the floor. Then she wrapped her arms around him and let her hands cover his back. He didn't step away when she did so choosing to wrap his own arms around her and pulling her flush against him. They were quiet and content in eachothers arms. He felt her silent tears running down his chest as she felt his kisses in her wet hair.

"You won't lose me." She whispered quietly. " I have a few answers now and maybe i will come up with more questions later, but even if i ended with all the answers i wanted i would still be here. I once said we were stuck with eachother and maybe that was the case for a while, but not anymore. Now... being with you, close together, is one of the greatest joys in my life. You have me Red." She pulled away and lifted her eyes to his. There was no hesitation as she stood on her toes and kissed him, soflty and warmly on his wet lips. He responded in kind and she smiled as she pulled away. "I just hope i have you as well."

Red's chest seemed like it would blow at her admission, at her acceptance of his vague answers and his scars. He lifted her in his arms and kissed her again.

"You always had me, you had me even when you thought you didn't."


End file.
